National information and online forms concerning Directive 2003/8/EC.
Council Directive 2003/8/EC of 27 January 2003 to improve access to justice in cross-border disputes by establishing minimum common rules relating to legal aid for such disputes seeks to promote the application of legal aid in cross-border disputes for persons who lack sufficient resources where aid is necessary to secure effective access to justice.
The Directive applies between all Member States of the European Union with the exception of Denmark. Between Denmark and certain Member States the European Agreement on the Transmission of Applications for Legal Aid of 1977 applies.
Transmitting authorities are competent to send applications. Receiving authorities are competent to receive applications.
The directive provides for two standard forms, one for legal aid applications and one for the transmission of legal aid applications.
For additional information, please go to our page on Legal aid.
Submission of forms to competent authority
Completed forms should be sent to the relevant competent authority in a manner required by the authority. More information on the contact details for competent authorities, relevant national legislature etc. can be found in the European Judicial Atlas section. This page includes a search tool to find the competent authorities to which to send completed forms.
You can complete these forms online by clicking one of the links below. If you have already started a form and saved a draft, you can upload it using the "Load draft" button.
As of 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom is no longer an EU Member State. However, in the field of civil justice, pending procedures and proceedings initiated before the end of the transition period will continue under EU law. Until the end of 2024, the United Kingdom can continue to be selected in online (dynamic) forms for the purpose of these proceedings and procedures. An exception to this rule are the Public documents forms, in which the UK should not be selected.
Please note that if you exceed 30 minutes of inactivity, all of your input will be lost unless you save a draft!
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Last update : 11/10/2022